A whole thread for the NFL playoffs up to the Super Bowl.
Saturday 1/9
KC -3.5 @ HOU
PIT -3 @ CIN
Sunday 1/10
SEA -5 @ MIN
GB @ WAS -1
Strange that only 1 home team is favored in the wild card round, and them by only 1 point. And frankly, GB is where I’d put my money if I were betting. Seattle would be tempting, too.
I actually have Green Bay -1 on ScoreCenter on my phone (I don’t know where ESPN gets its line), so I’m seeing all the visitors as favorites. Weird year.
I think Seattle at -5 would be a slam dunk except for the weather. These Seahawks have never played in the crazy cold, but then again, I’m not really sure these Vikings have either. It certainly adds some unpredictability. There is little chance of precipitation though, and I understand the field is heated. So who knows?
I can’t speak for WA (winter) weather, but Minnesota gets plenty cold (and snowy).
I think his point was about the players not playing in the cold. The Vikings usually played in a temperature controlled dome. This year, however, they’re building a new dome, so they’re actually playing outdoors at TCF Bank Stadium, where the Minnesota Gophers usually play. So it’s not like the Vikings are used to it.
See, that’s what I get when I try to talk football.
Right, this year and last year, the Vikings have played their only outdoor home games since this current crew of Vikings was born. And the Vikings didn’t have a lot of January games last year, for some reason.
And, FWIW, in Seattle a typical winter day is gray, 42 degrees, and drizzling.
Dalton is officially out on Saturday, meaning every home team is starting a QB that has never played in a playoff game.
3 of the away teams have QB who have won a Super Bowl. Alex Smith is 1-2 in the playoffs.
I love watching the wildcard round, and this year looks like it’ll be particularly fun.
Go 'Hawks!
Kirk Cousins played about a quarter of a playoff game in 2012. He was 3/10 for 31 yards.
Somehow fivethirtyeight.com shows Cincy with a 58% chance of beating Pittsburgh. It agrees with the betting lines for the other 3 games.
538’s Elo prediction model is based entirely off of scores of previous games, so it has no idea that Andy Dalton isn’t playing.
That explains it. Thanks!
Clowney questionable yet again. Time to hang the bust label on this guy.
I thought the book on microfracture surgery was that you needed to wait about 18 mo to two years afterwards to see the final effects? He’s certainly not #1 overall pick material, and I don’t think we’ll see another 4.5 40 from him (which was the thing I think pushed the Texans to grab him at #1), but I wouldn’t call him a bust just yet.
The limited time I’ve watched him, he gets into position to make plays, and is just this close from making great ones. Fingertips brushing the QB as he’s blocked past him, that sort of thing. I hope that as he heals, he’ll pick up those hundredths of a second, and start making plays.
Back injuries, foot injuries, concussed, his initial knee issue: sure does seem awfully fragile though so far.
EDIT: Oh, and I’m expecting the Chiefs to annihilate the Texans tomorrow. Unfortunately. Wouldn’t be surprised to see a 13-9 kind of game.
I’ll take Seattle to cover, 1 degree kickoff temperature forecast or not; Cincy to cover if not win; and Washington to do both.
Yep. It was a stupid pick at #1, considering all the injuries during his junior year. His own college coach publically questioned his willingness to play when dealing with minor injuries. He was a freak at the draft, but so what if you’re not tough enough to play the position? That said, the Texans likely wouldn’t have fared much better since it was a very weak draft with the exception of some great receivers.
Oh, I dunno. There were three prized QBs in the first round, and Derek Carr, who might be better than all of them, who went early in the 2nd. Aaron Donald can play a little too.
Heck, swap the Texans first two rounds in 2014 (Clowney, Xavier Su’a-Filo) with the Raiders’s picks (Khalil Mack, first time ever All-Pro at two different positions in the same year, Derek Carr) and we’d be bragging about what a steal this was for the Texans.
[Su’a-who? Exactly.]
Got the lines from yahoo sports…still says WAS -1 today.
Current lines I’m seeing:
KC -3 -115 (favoring KC)
Pitt -1.5
Seattle -4
Wash -1 -115 (favoring Wash)
Did anyone else notice the new change in the playoffs this year?
I like KC to win but then again something is not allowing me to trust Alex Smith so I may have to go with Houston
Cincy will not have Dalton so I am picking the Steelers
The Vikings have no QB and will lose to Seattle
Green Bay is lucky to be in the playoffs as bad they been playing. I like the skins